Car-coupling



'(No Model.)

E. A. DE MA Y. GAR COUPLING.

No. 375,272. Patented Dec. 20, 1887-.

N. FErERs, Fhnwuxho n hen Wzshinglon n e IVUNITED STATES EUGENE A. DE MAY, OF RICHMOND, TEXAS.

PATENT @rrrch.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,272, dated December 20, 1887.

Application filed October 11, 1887. Serial No. 252,027. (No model.)

'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE A. DE MAY, of Richmond, in the county of Fort Bend and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Gar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in automatic car-couplings; and it consists in, first, the combination, with an ordinary pinand-link draw-head, of a vertically-moving rod or pin and a spring-actuated hook, which is pivoted upon the pin; second, the combination of the draw-head, the hook, a vertically moving pin, a key or stop for the pin, and an adjustable link connected to the key, whereby the pin can be raised and lowered at the will of the operator; third, the arrangement and combination of parts, which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to combine with an ordinary pin-and-link draw-head a springactuated hook which is automatic in its action and which is connected to the under side of the usual draw-head, whereby either the old style draw-head or an automatic coupling may be used.

Figure 1 is a front view of a coupling embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detached perspective showing the parts which constitute my invention. Fig. 3 is a perspective of a coupling-hook. Fig. 4 is aside elevation of a draw-head to which my invention is applied.

A represents an ordinary pin-and-link drawhead, such as is in common use. The pin in this case is formed by the vertically-moving pin B, which passes up through both the coupling-hook C and the head A, as shown, and which has a vertical movement. When this pin B is dropped downward to its full extent, the draw-head is free to have a link inserted; but when the pin is moved upward it closes the mouth of the draw-head the same as a coupling-pin would do if passed down through the top of an ordinary draw-head. This pin B serves both as a coupling-pin and as the made to catch over the hook G the pin B will be allowed to drop downward far enough to permita coupling-link to freely enter the drawhead A; but if the opposite end of the link is be raised upward through the top of the drawhead, as shown. By simply reversing from one end of the link F to the other upon the hook G the pin is raised and lowered at the will of the operator.

A coupling-hook, G, is pivoted upon the pin, B,and issupported in position againsttheunder side of the draw-head A by means of the flat plate, brace, or support H, which has its rear end fastened to the under side of the drawhead, as shown in Fig. 4.. The sleeve I,which is formed upon the inner end of the couplinghook, and through which the pin B passes, will be made of such a length as will adapt it to high or low cars, and thereby bring the hooks astandard height from the rail. If it is to be applied to a low car,this collar will extend but a very slight distance above the upper edge of the hook; but if it is to be applied to ahigh car the collar will be made to extend upward sufficiently far to push the hook G downward the desired distance. If the hook is to be applied to a car of medium height,then the collar will be reduced in height, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The lower end of the collar projects just far enough below the hook to form a flange or bearing-surface, a, which comes in direct contact with the top of the front end of the plate or support H. Formed on the outer side of this hook Ois a suitable flange, J, and through this flange is made an opening, in which the inner end of the rod L is hooked. The outer end of this rod is passed through the bracket N, secured to the under side of the corner of the car,and is turned upward,as shown,

' pivot upon which the hook 0 turns. Passing made to catch over the hook G the pin B will so as to form a suitable handle, by means of which the brakemen can operate the hook C while standing to one side of the car, and thus prevent all necessity of the brakemen having to go between the cars, thus endangering both life and limb. Around this red L is placed a spring, 0, of sufficient tension to keep the hook O pressed forward ready to automatically couple with a corresponding hook upon the next adjoining car,and to hold the hook 0 back out of use when it is not desired that it shall couple when the cars run together. Before the hook C has passed its center of motion the spring serves to force it forward; but after the hook has been drawn backward far enough to pass its center of motion the'springholds the hook back where it will not couple. In order to operate this spring-actuated rod L and hook 0 either from the platform or the top of the car there is secured to the car at any convenient point a guide, bracket, or plate, P,through which the operating rod or lever Q passes. The lower end of this lever passes through an opening made in the spring-actuated rod L near the coupling-hook, and by moving the upper end of this lever in one direction or the other the hook G can be moved in or out of action, as may be desired. This lever is placed to one side of the center of the car, so as to leave the center of the ear free for the brakemen to pass from one ear to the other without having to pass around obstructions of any kind M y invention can be applied to nearly all 01 the draw-heads now in use upon both freight and passenger cars, for nearly all of them are provided with two bolts to which the plate or support H can be bolted. The hook C will automatically couple a high car to alow one, it being set at a standard height, and it can be uncoupled either from the top, the platforn1,or either side of the car, as may desired. As the lever H projects beyond the side of the ear the cars can be uncoupled while in motion. Should a car jump the track, the hooks being set at a standard height from the rail, the hook of the derailed car being thrown so much lower than the others, it will automatically uncouple, and thereby free itself from the other car. As the hook G is used in connection with an ordinary draw-head a coupling-can be made either to the tender or frontbar of the locomotive. When it is desired to remove the parts which constitute my invention from the drawhead A, it is only necessary to partially revolve the hook G, when the link F can be removed and allow the pin B to drop out, when the hook C, the spring'actuated lever L, connected thereto, and the operating-rod can be removed, thus leaving no part of my invention in position with the exception of the bracket through which the levers Q L pass and the supporting-plate H.

I This coupling will keep the cars at the same distance apart and allow the same slack in a train as the ordinary link, as the only strain on the coupling is in pulling, the draw-head serving as the bull'er the same as when the link is used. The hook 0 being held in close contact with the under side of the draw-head A and the top of the support H, it has no vertical play and there is no chance for the couplingpin to spring or bend.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The eon'lbinatiomwitha draw-head,of the pin B, the spring-actuated hook G, the connecting-rod, a link, and a hook, substantially as shown.

2. Thecombinationofalinkdraw-hcad,with the springaetuated hook, a support, 11, upon the top of which the hook is placed, the pin, the connectingrod, the link, and the hook, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the link draw-head A. the support H, the hook O, a pivot upon which the hook turns, the spring-actuated rod L, connected to the hook, the rod or lever Q, and suitable guides through which the rods pass, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a pin-and-link coupling-head, of an automatic couplinghook which is connected to the draw-head, the pin which serves as a pivot for the hook also serving as a coupling-pin for a link, substantially as specified.

5. The combination,with the draw-head A, the hook 0, applied directly to its under side and operated by the spring-actuated rod L or lever Q, the support H, secured to the under side of the head, the pin B, which serves both as a coupling-pin and the pivot for the hook, the arm D, connecting-rod E, the link F, and the hook G, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EUGENE A. DE MAY.

\Vi tn esses:

Syn F. Pnannson, J OHN COBBIN. 

